Lexan Vs. Lucite?

[king88mob]

Neither of the big block places seem to have lexan in stock (backordered at Rona, Home Depot doesn't carry it) However, HD has Lucite, in the right thickness and size. The guy at the materials desk says there's basically no difference between the two. I'd like to get my CP done sooner then later, and i don't feel like waiting for  the backorder to come through (going on two weeks now)

Are they basically the same? Opinions on using Lucite for a CP top?

Thanks.

[REBIRTH]

I used Lexan on my CP's and Lucite for my marquee (only because they were out of lexan when I went to buy that part of it).  Anyway, Lucite sure seems the same as Lexan - though I don't know if would hold up as well on a CP after 834 games of Defender.  It might, I just don't know.  They both seemed very similar to me.

[rampy]

just a seemingly oddball question... did you call the homedepot to find out they didn't have lexan?

IF so it may be worth a visit... because every time I call HD I get a different person with a different answer, and half the time they wouldn't know a polycarbonate from their arse! =P

I don't know all the brand names of lexan, but maybe (isn't it?) lucite == lexan?  I know crystal lite (which HD carries, btw) is the same as lexan...

lexan is a brand name itself... you just need to figure out if the tissues you want to buy are the same as kleenex or not =P

I guess the question is: Is lucite plexiglass? If not then it should work fine (plexi can work fine too, it's just more brittle to work with... but is cheaper... go figure)

*shrug*

good luck!

rampy

[Dr. J]

I've got lucite on my cab (click banner to see).  I haven't had a chance to work with lexan for the same reason your talking about.  I found lucite not to be that bad to work with the second time around.  The first time I cracked it all over the place.  It's just a matter of a couple tricks while working with it.

1.  If you get the kind with the protective coating that you can't see through, check the length of each edge to see if it was cracked in shipment to the store.  I've had to take back 2 whole sheets because of that.

2.  Leave the protective coating on it the whole time you are working with it.  

3.  I drilled a single small hole first by lining it up with a hole in the wood, and then put the screw in place.  Then I lined up the plexi the way I wanted over a second hole and drilled and put that screw in place.  Then I drilled the rest of my small holes knowing that they would have to line up because the plexi-glass couldn't shift.  

4.  Use a slightly bigger drill bit because you don't want the machine screws to screw through the plexi.  You want them to drop through the plexi, but catch at the head.

4.  I drilled my button holes by sandwiching the plexiglass between my predrilled control panel wood and a scrap piece of wood.  Remember to secure one small hole on each end with your machine screws so the plexi doesn't shift.  Then I drilled through the back side of the button holes using a spade-type bit and running the drill in reverse to melt the plexi.  You can see the circle of plexi come loose and start to rotate when you've pushed through.  When I ran the drill forward it would catch sometimes when speeding up or slowing down and then shatter the plexi.    Don't use a hole saw either.  The plexi will melt whether you're going forward or reverse.  The piece you cut loose will get stuck inside the hole saw and never come out.

5.  When you assemble your control panel remember that the bolts don't have to be super tight, just snug.  I've put some in too tight and shattered the plexi before.

6.  For the edging I used a 1/8" round over router bit and traced my already cut out wood for the control panel.  This made the edges of the plexi lie flush with the wood and eliminated the sharp edges.  Again, remember to secure each end with a machine screw so the plexi doesn't shift.

7.  Finally cut off a practice piece and test out what works for you, or if you like something different.  I learned through trial and error that the above worked for me.  I never made much of anything before this cabinet.

hope it helps  ---Dr.J

[SNAAAKE]

here is what I found out about this.

plexi=good.
lucite=better and 20 times stronger then regular plexi.
lexan=best and 100 times stronger then plexi.

I got this from their chart(HD).
I would get some lucite and try to drill straight forward to see if its strong like lexan but they only had BIG sheets(like 72"Xwhatever).

Now who will be the first one to go get some of these "lucite" and post result?  
Also anyone tried cutting this with jigsaw?
(c'mon,I am smiling so go get some then drill and post result)

[AlanS17]

I've actually got some that I'll be putting on my 36" X 18" control panel. Just haven't had an opportunity yet. It's cheaper - my favorite word.

[Dr. J]

Now who will be the first one to go get some of these "lucite" and post result?  

I didn't know the difference between the three.  I used acryllic lucite in my post just above.  -Dr.J

[TalkingOctopus]

I would go with lexan.  I cracked lucite my first time too.  The second try I wedged it between 2 pieces of wood and then cut it with a circular saw.  Worked like a charm.  Good luck.

[grafixmonkey]

There's "Lucite" and there's "Lucite Tuf".   I'm only hearing one kind of Lucite mentioned here...   which is it?

I'm building my panel with Lucite Tuf.  I'll be putting it on soon, so I'll post some results.  I'll do a scratch test on the scrap pieces too and see how they hold up.

Oh, and I don't know about going by what anyone working in a hardware store says....   The guy I talked to at Lowe's was over 60, i.e. not some high school kid just there packing shelves for the summer, and told me that Lucite and Lexan were both the same thing as plexiglass, just different brand names.  He might have been assuming "same thing for what you're probably gonna do with it", but he still said they were all exactly the same.

[Amra]

There are two types of Lucite, one is 10x Stronger then Glass and comes with a plastic covering, the other is 100x Stronger then glass, and comes with a brown paper covering, if possible go with the Lucite Tuf (brown covering) if you cant afford it, then the regular stuff will work, but keep in mind if using 1/8 Inch, do not pick it up with one hand, this creates uneven pressure in two close points, and can crack the Lucite... With that said, any uneven ressure on an edge can crack it... Though ive never had this problem with the one that has the brown covering...

Lucite Tuf is the same as Lexan, may not be the exact same recipe, but drills, cuts, behaves the same.  This is not true with the regular Lucite, though still good, extra precautions should be taken as it is weaker.

[Brax]

Lucite is acrylic (Plexiglass)
Lucite-Tuf is Polycarbonate (Lexan)

[Dr. J]

This may be simply because my technique got better working with this stuff, but my first attempt was with the lucite-tuf (100X glass in brown paper protective coating) and I cracked that one all over the place.  I've had the best luck with the regular lucite (10X glass in blue plastic coating).  I'm not sure if it's because it gives a little more and is less rigid or what.  It seems counter-intuitive, but that's been my experiance.  Again, it is probably just because my working technique got better.  

[bionicbadger]

I just assumed that lucite was just a different brand name for the same thing, and since thats what the local home depot carried (no lexan), thats what I used.

I used lucite tuf with no problems, other than a tiny crack when using a jigsaw the first time I cut it.  Once I switched to using the table saw, it cut much smoother and I havent seen a crack since.  I used it for my marquee and control panel, and just finished a dance pad with lucite tuf for the arrows and I can jump up and down on the stuff without it cracking.

The only reason I picked lucite tuf was because the store didn't stock the regular lucite in the thickness I wanted.

[grafixmonkey]

I want a giant laser beam.  All this cutting would be so much easier!

That and I could have the FULL Tron experience!  Lose the game and you get de-rezzed!

[AlanS17]

Well that's the stuff covered in pink film that they sell at HD? (OT: It sad that we all know what "HD" means...) It's a mid-grade between plexi and lexan. The plexi is blue, then there's the stuff in pink, and then lexan is in green. I have the pink stuff....

[grafixmonkey]

The Lucite Tuf came in a brown protective sheet, for me.  But I got it at Lowe's.  

I cut it today!  It was very cooperative!  My only complaints:

Scoring with razor and snapping was difficult...  I tended to get little rough outcroppings that I'll have to use a router on later.  But I'm sure it will turn out ok, and I bet it was probably my fault anyway.  I bet I didn't score it perfectly straight.

Hole saws:  They work great!  But...   the stuff tends to melt and flow in between the teeth and gum up the saw, no matter how slow or fast I went, and no matter how cool I kept the hole saw.  The little Lucite pucks that got cut out also tended to get stuck inside the hole saw, and were tricky and time consuming to get out.  It went well, but it went kinda slowly.

Circle cutter:  Works so well I almost crapped myself when I drilled a test hole!  Only downside is you can't drill through your plexi and your panel at the same time, so you have to line it up carefully.  I drilled holes for joysticks using this baby, and I wanna add more joysticks just so I can use it again!   (Are there any four-player games that use two joysticks for each player??  Maybe a Karate Champ mod for the TMNT engine???)

Something I did that helped:  Someone mentioned trying to let your tool cool down between uses, so I got a can of my compressed-air canisters I use for blowing dust off of things I don't want to use a cloth or a vacuum on.  Hold it upside-down, and it emits a jet of freezing cold liquified gasses that can make frost appear on any surface in less than half a second.  Using that on my hole saws and circle cutter, I didn't need any down-time at all for the parts to cool off.  Also handy for removing sawdust and shavings of Lucite, and for brutally freezing insects that tried to bite me while I was working.


Problems:

Jumped the gun while I was building the panel!  Cut the holes in the wood before I had the Lucite!  But with hole saws that wasn't a problem, they fit inside the holes made by the spade bit, and cut the Lucite just fine.

All in all Lucite Tuf gets a thumbs-up for cutting experience.

Pics in a bit.

[night]

i always let my tool cool down between uses.....

[grafixmonkey]

I was restraining myself so hard...    

I was so glad though, when I tried to fit my tool in the button hole the first time, and it fit perfectly.   I was so worried it would be too big and not go in without breaking anything, and I would have to start over with a new CP!

[kspiff]

...

That sounded kinda dirty  

[grafixmonkey]

What?  What sounded dirty?   I can't see any innuendos in there at all...   I must just not have a dirty mind like you do.      

The tool goes in the hole, spins around real fast, and you take it out, and then you clean it off.  What's wrong with that?    


(ok enough...   it's gonna start getting old and tacky...)
(little voice says,   "Start?!?")

[Amra]

I cut the holes and shape of my plexi all in less then two minutes...

Yes, Routers rule!

[grafixmonkey]

Did your edges end up nice and clean?  I have a router I could use, but I didn't know what it would do to lucite.

[rampy]

I just used a router and flush cutting bit last night on some plexi... Went fairly quickly.  I don't have a plunge router/bit so needed to make starter holes ... but after that it was just "tracking" the mdf button holes in a circle.

Easy as pie...

(note didn't want to use plexi -- my buddy tried to cut the lexan with circular saw and some how dorked it up... cut off too much...  we had some extra plexi that we were gonna use for the marquee sandwhich so... said what heck worse thing that happens is we break the cheaper plexit...)

rampy

[grafixmonkey]

Cool, I'll try the router on the smaller straight edges then instead of the snap-off method.  I have pics but if I post them now I'll be late for class!

[spidermonkey]

Let there be no more confusion.

Name brands of acrylic sheets  polymethyl-methacrylate
1  Acrylite   made by Cyro
2 Crystalite   made by the Crystalite corp.
3 Lucite   made by Dupont
4 Perspex   made by Dupont

Name brands of polycarbonate
1 Lucite Tuf   made by Dupont
2 Lexan  made by General Electric plastics division

There are dozens of names and manufacturers for both of these types of sheet plastic but these are pretty much the main brand names that you'll find in Homeowner building warehouses ie Home Depot and Lowes.